Just imagining
by stardustkr7
Summary: Set of inspired, unrelated Dick/Barbara drabbles and ficlets.
1. Drabbles

A/N: If you were on tumblr last night, you'll already know that I went a little crazy with the Dick/Babs drabbles and ficlets.

In no particular order, here's what I wrote last night and today. Some are from prompts people sent and some are from the imagine your otp blog.

Enjoy! No particular timeline/universe/setting. Not related or connected in any way.

* * *

"Here, we need to take of the top part of your uniform."

"What?" Barbara hissed sharply.

"It's either that or I make the tear around this bigger! And Alfred isn't around to sew it up!" Dick protested, hands up.

She glared. Alfred had taken the week to visit family out of the country leaving the whole Bat family scrambling to feed themselves and patch up their own wounds.

"Fine. Just … close your eyes, okay?"

"Aren't you wearing anything underneath?"

"Close your eyes!"

Barbara guided his hands to the zipper at the back of her neck, allowing him to pull it down and carefully peel off the top of her suit, away from the large gash on her side.

Dick stood behind her seated on the exam table, trying to stay honest and keep his eyes shut. But as he slowly pushed the front of her costume down, his hands were brushing her smooth skin. He heard her gasp as little when one hand accidentally on purpose found a lace trim edge and slipped under it as well.

He got in a whole three seconds of fondling before she cleared her throat and said in high, shaky voice, "Uh, Dick, I'm still bleeding here …"

* * *

_I can't believe we actually went through with it_, Barbara silently told her reflection after spitting out the mouthwash and putting away her toothbrush.

"Knock knock," said a voice behind the door.

"Oh, right, uh, come in!" said Barbara, opening the bathroom door.

Dick grinned hesitantly at her, only in his shorts and a towel over his shoulder. "Uh, done in here? Mind if I take a shower?"

"Of course not, its your house," she rambled a little awkwardly, edging past him.

"Our house," he corrected her, closing the door. She didn't hear the lock click and soon the water was running.

This was stupid. Just because they were now living together didn't mean they couldn't be themselves. Time to stop this awkwardness in it's tracks. Before she could lose her nerve, she quietly slipped back inside the bathroom, pulling off her pajamas.

He wasn't facing her when she sneaked into the shower with him. She cleared her throat with a soft "ahem" and he turned, startled.

"Babs …" Dick's eyes widened as he stared at her suggestive smirk, then down the rest of her body.

"Morning," she said, stepping into the hot water with him. "Mind if I join in?"

* * *

It was a typical stakeout on a typical night in Gotham city. Nightwing stood at the edge of the rooftop, one foot propped on the ledge as he peered through binoculars at their target. Mostly just surveillance at this point. There wasn't enough evidence for an arrest.

"We should have just set up a camera," Batgirl muttered next to him. "We could be here all night and they won't actually do anything."

"Probably. But it's kind of a slow night elsewhere," he commented in a whisper, still focused on the opposite building's window.

"Hmm," she said noncommitally.

Stakeouts could be really boring.

She sidled up behind him, placing a hand on his lower back. The corner of his mouth tipped up in acknowledgement of the affectionate gesture. Batgirl let her hand slowly caress around his waist to his front and towards his belt.

"Uh, BG …"

"Shh, we're on a stakeout," she reminded him with a smirk as her fingers dipped under the waistband of his incredibly form-fitting pants. He made some sort of noise between a squeak and a cough. Her breath was hot on the back of his neck as she reminded him, "You have to stay quiet, remember?"

* * *

Barbara moaned in pain. Her whole body ached.

"I don't get it. I put on sunscreen. I wore a hat. I reapplied after going in the ocean," she complained. She felt the bed dip next to her.

"I just checked the bottle. The sunscreen you were using was expired," said Dick, doing a poor job of hiding the amusement in his voice.

"It's not funny."

"Your face is like a tomato," he pointed out when she looked over at him with a scowl.

"Dick," she whined and was startled to find the corners of her eyes prickling. "It really hurts…"

"I'm sorry, babe," he said, sobering and lightly kissing her forehead. "Take some aspirin. I'll get the aloe and put it on for you, okay?"

She nodded, blinking away her tears. So much for their vacation.

* * *

She must have woken up because it was so cold, Barbara decided, glaring at the icy window. She regretted the decision to not dig out her flannel the night before.

Yawning, she rolled over to see the strong, broad shoulders of her bed partner and smiled slightly. Pulling the covers up more, she curled up to his back, dropping a kiss on his shoulder and attempting to steal some of his warmth. Barbara fidgeted, trying to get comfortable and the motion, along with her foot grazing the back of his thigh, made him stir.

"Your toes are cold," said Dick softly.

"You could warm them up for me."

Dick smiled and rolled over, gathering her into his arms and kissing her neck sensually.

They ended up staying in bed until the room was warmer.

* * *

"Nightwing?"

"You're supposed to be sleeping, BG," said Nightwing with a sigh, perched on a ledge with Robin.

"I need you to do something for me …"

"What? What is it? Are you okay? Is it time? I can get home in like ten minutes," he said, his mind racing through scenarios of why his pregnant wife was radioing him at two-thirty in the morning.

"No, no, nothing like that. It's just …"

"What is is, Babs!?"

"I can't get over it. I'm really craving a chili dog."

He blinked. "A what?"

"A chili dog. And with chocolate sauce and a pickle. And fresh squeezed lime juice."

"Babs, where am I going to find a chili dog with chocolate sauce and fresh squeezed lime juice at two-thirty?"

Next to him, Robin busted up laughing.

"You forgot the pickle."

"There's a whole jar in the fridge. I just bought it the other day."

"I just ate the last one."

Robin was howling next to him. "Shut up!"

"Don't tell me to shut up!"

"Not you, Robin's laughing at me! Babs, I can't just … where am I supposed to get a chili dog?"

"Might I remind you that this is your spawn I'm carrying and it's the one responsible for my inability to see my feet and these mad cravings," she growled in his ear.

Nightwing sighed, rubbing at his temple; Robin was still trying to contain his giggles.

"Fine, I'll be home as soon as I can …"

* * *

August was unusually hot and muggy in Gotham city. The nights didn't even bother to cool down to a more comfortable temperature. Yet crime still persisted, much to Batgirl and Nightwing's chagrin.

As the two partners leaped across rooftops, looking for trouble, the air was churning. The whole atmosphere was charged and heavy and both felt sweaty and weary under their suits. They stopped along a row of warehouses to catch their breath.

"We should get off the roof. Feels like a storm," Nightwing commented, peering up at the purple-ish clouds.

Batgirl looked up and a raindrop promptly greeted her nose.

"Yeah, I think you're right," she agreed as it started raining. Running along rooftops during a thunderstorm was not the smartest idea.

By the time they regained the ground, it was pouring and bright flashes were lighting across the sky every few minutes. The storm was right over the city with the thunderclaps booming loudly overhead, just seconds after each lightening bolt.

"Come on, we shouldn't be outside and our bikes are too far away!" Nightwing shouted, taking her hand.

They ran along the back streets, train tracks, and empty lots until they came upon a small brick building used as an office for the old cargo railway. He quickly jimmied the lock and they stumbled in the door. The deafening storm quieted some when they closed the door.

"Hopefully it lets up soon," he said, glancing out the window.

"Hopefully it scares away all the criminals for the night. I do not want to finish patrol like this," she complained, attempting to wring out her hair.

A particularly loud bout of thunder made the small building shudder. She jumped, startled, and ended up bumping right into him, her hands on his chest.

His eyes widened slightly but then he smirked. "Well, maybe not too soon," he said, his arms going around her waist.

* * *

Dick had spent hours perfecting his look for the undercover mission. One wrong move, everyone would know he didn't belong. He needed his full concentration, despite his lookout partner whispering directions in his earpiece.

"Hm, tattoos are a good look for you, Boy Wonder," came Barbara's low voice.

She was watching the room on the cameras they had planted earlier. He picked up his drink and pretended to take a sip, flexing his arms slightly.

"Babs, if they see me smiling I'll be thrown out," he muttered, barely moving his lips.

"Then don't smile. Stand up," she ordered quietly.

"Target?" he asked, sliding off the barstool.

"No, but your ass looks amazing in those jeans." It was like clothes could never dare to look bad on him.

He visibly gulped.

"When you get home … I'm going to rip that shirt off you and lick those abs of yours, all over," she continued in that sultry voice.

He tensed up, his eyes flickering all around the room, hoping for a distraction.

"And do you want to know what I plan on doing next?" she whispered in his ear.

With a small cough, he glanced in the direction of the camera and nodded very slightly, bringing the glass to his lips again.

"Weeeellll …" she drew out. "Too bad, your target is here, three o'clock."

Frustrated, Dick shot a quick glare in her direction before moving off, deciding she could be the one undercover next time.

* * *

"No, absolutely not. No way." Dick was shaking his head emphatically, his arms crossed.

"If you aren't comfortable with this, you don't have to, Barbara. We'll find another way to infiltrate the club," said Bruce.

"I offered to do it. I'm fine with it. I'm definitely the most qualified here," said Barbara, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not fine with it!" Dick said.

"How else are you going to get backstage?"

"I'll go undercover."

"It's not that kind of club," she pointed out dryly.

"You're my girlfriend! I don't want a bunch of creepy guys watching you in your underwear!"

Bruce cleared his throat awkwardly in the middle of their discussion. "Dick, we really don't have time for a different plan. It will be very easy for Barbara to get inside. You and I will be there if anything goes wrong."

"It's settled then," she said loftily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to practice my exotic dancing."

A pause and then –

"Can I at least –"

"NO!"

"I still don't like this," Dick muttered as he and Bruce were let in the door. It was a very high class, elite, and secretive gentlemen's club. No one would be surprised to find Bruce Wayne there, or even that he would bring his adult son (father of the year).

"You've made your opinion known. Voice it again and you're leaving," he said stiffly through a smile. "And think of how uncomfortable Barbara will feel when she has to pass along what she's found to me rather than you," Bruce added as they were shown to a table.

Dick attempted to relax, gulping his drink anxiously as each girl went on stage. Each act seemed to get racier and racier. Bruce had gotten up and started mingling with a few other patrons, leaving him with his discomfort.

And then a tall, redheaded woman stepped on the stage and the music started.

_Where did she learn that?_

Dick was entranced, leaning forward in his chair as Barbara danced.

Her costume showed off her long legs and toned abs. As she slowly pulled off parts, her eyes searched the room until they locked on his. And suddenly, he didn't really know why he was worried. As far as he was concerned, she was definitely performing for just him. Her strong, limber body impressively spun around the pole in the center of the stage.

And then suddenly she had climbed off the stage and was sauntering towards him.

It was part of the plan, if she had found some evidence so they could make their move later on. But he was having trouble remembering it when she was in his lap.

"Focusing on the mission, Boy Wonder," she murmured in his ear. He felt her hand at his pocket as she slipped him the bracelet that served as a camera and recorder.

"Uh …" he replied intelligently. It was hard to think when was leaning over him like that, her chest very much in his face.

"You better pay me soon," she suggested, soundly slightly amused. "Keep up the act."

He wasn't sure how he managed to extract the money from his pocket but she patiently waited for him to slip in the top part of her tiny costume.

"See you at home." She nipped at his earlobe and pulled away, strolling back towards the platform.

A hand touched his shoulder and Dick jumped. He had completely forgotten any one else was even in the room.

"Did you get the recording?" Bruce asked, the easy playboy billionaire smirk still on his face.

"Yes," Dick squeaked.


	2. Cheers

**A/N:** Did this little drabble a while ago for a prompt on tumblr. I thought it turned out cute. The prompt was Dick/Babs - PDA.

* * *

Barbara had been under the distinct impression that Dick had actually wanted her at the New Year's Eve party. He had made the effort to call her earlier in the week, making sure that she was still planning on attending. She was, of course; she always went to Bruce Wayne's parties, despite her lack of socialite status beyond that of being the Commissioner's daughter.

_I bought a new dress and everything_ …

Dick had said hello to her once but was quickly distracted by the gaggle of airheads following him, much like they did to Bruce. While it had been amusing to watch the older man work a group of pretty women, Barbara was not as impressed with his adopted son's interactions.

She found an empty table to settle at with a tall glass of champagne.

This was getting ridiculous. It was just one more of their vague almost a date sort of crap that ended up happening, ruining any potentially charged moment between them. They had been flirting and stealing kisses for ages now. She really ought to just put her foot down already.

"Want to dance?" Dick interrupted her moping.

"Sure," she said with a small smile, taking his hand so he could lead her onto the floor.

They fell into a few comfortable steps, his arm around her waist and their other hands clasped.

"Are you having a good time?" he asked her.

"Yeah, of course," she lied easily. "You?"

"I'm pulling some of my best evasion tactics and it's not working," he said with a slightly exasperated grin.

She almost rolled her eyes, knowing he kind of liked the attention.

"I'm sorry for your suffering."

"Aw, Babs," he pouted.

"Stop that, Boy Wonder," she said playfully. "Ahh!" He dipped her low, smoothly pulling her back up into his arms. It was probably really impressive to watch.

"You look amazing tonight," Dick said charmingly.

Barbara couldn't help but let out a giggle, still recovering her equilibrium. "Thanks."

"Excuse me, may I cut in?"

The woman was looking at Dick, completely ignoring Barbara's existence as she preened at him. Her hair was pouffed up high and stiff with hairspray and a dense cloud of perfume seemed to follow her.

"Sure," said Barbara with a sigh.

"Babs …" His eyes widened slightly in a sort of help me gesture. But what could she do? It would be rude to say no. She quickly pressed a light kiss to his cheek and gave him an encouraging smile as she walked away.

And once again, Barbara found herself at a table alone, with a glass of bubbly.

She sighed and said to the champagne, "We really need to stop meeting this way."

It bubbled back cheerfully.

"Drink me!" she mimicked quietly. "Oh, okay, if you insist…"

Midnight couldn't arrive sooner.

Reluctantly, Barbara pulled herself to her feet as the music stopped and people were preparing to countdown. She snagged another full glass from a passing waiter and awkwardly stood by herself.

_Thirty seconds…_

Perhaps she should just finish this glass now.

_Twenty seconds …_

She looked around the room, telling herself that she was not at all wondering where a certain raven haired young man had disappeared to.

_Ten seconds…_

There was a tap on her shoulder and she whirled around.

_Seven seconds …_

Dick gently took the glass from her hand and set it down.

_Five seconds…_

He pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

_Three._

_Two._

_One._

His lips met hers and she swore there were fireworks. Outside. There was a firework show. And in her head. Because he was holding her tightly and kissing her like he meant it.

She grasped at his collar, pulling herself flush against his body. She felt rather than heard the small growl in the back of his throat. The kiss was hot and open-mouthed and probably not at all appropriate. Where there even people around them? Barbara conveniently forgot. His tongue in her mouth distracted her well.

The clicking made her finally pull away from his lips, panting slightly. They looked over to see the source of the noise and found several cameras in their direction. _Great._

"That's going to be all over the internet," she muttered, thinking of the image those photographers had most likely captured, with his tongue down her throat and his hands very low on her back.

"Yep. At least it will be very clear who I want to be making out with," he said, still holding her tightly. "Shall we get out of here?"

"Please, let's."

It was enough PDA for the evening.


	3. Linguini

**A/N**: Yes, I am still on tumblr. Here's another little thing I posted recently. It's short and sweet but I thought it turned out pretty funny.

Prompt: Dick tries to cook for Babs

* * *

**Linguini **

"Dick what on earth are you doing?" Barbara asked as she made her way into her kitchen.

Dick froze, a crust of bread hanging from his mouth and a large chef knife in his hand. He tore away the bread and said in a muffled voice, "I'm cookin' you dinner. I'll call you when it's done. Go back to work."

She looked at him cautiously. The counter top was littered with various ingredients, vegetables to chopped and sauces to be mixed.

"Do you need any help?"

"No, now go back in your room and pretend to be surprised when I present you this amazing home cooked meal. The recipe is straight from Alfred. I can't possibly go wrong," he said confidently.

"Oh, okay then," she said, trying not to sound nervous as she wheeled out of the kitchen and to her computer room. While she knew Dick could follow directions when he set his mind to it, she also was very aware that to date, his most notable culinary masterpieces included mixing different types of cereals for what he liked to call 'an epic breakfast experience.' He and Tim would insist there was a proper ratio of Lucky Charms to Cocoa Puffs that was absolutely perfect.

Looked like they were going to be ordering out again. Barbara shook her head, amusedly telling herself that she should really give him a chance.

So she allowed herself to get lost in her Oracle duties, researching and directing, being a general eye in the sky.

And then the smoke alarm went off.

"Uh oh," she muttered, speeding off for the kitchen and pausing in the doorway to take in the scene. "What the …"

Dick was standing on a chair, waving a spatula at the smoke alarm on the ceiling in an attempt to clear the air around it. There was a pot on the stove just about to boil over. Several pasta noodles were stuck on the ceiling. The whole kitchen smelled like burnt bread and garlic. And there was a find coating of flour on everything in the immediate vicinity.

The alarm finally calmed down and Dick climbed down from the chair, startling slightly when he turned and saw her.

"Uh … I promise I'll clean it up," he said sheepishly.

"Well I'm definitely surprised," she said faintly, surveying the room again. It had been one of those days, where every little thing seemed to pile up and then this just had to happen too.

Her eyes landed on him again and suddenly she was trying really really hard not to laugh.

His shoulders deflated slightly when she clasped a hand to her mouth to try to stifle her giggles. "Babs …"

"I'm sorry, honey, but …" she attempted to say, "there's a piece of linguini in your hair!"

She completely lost it, laughing out loud as he gingerly reached up to peel the offending pasta from his dark locks.

"Alfred said they're supposed to stick to the ceiling when it's done," he muttered, still looking a little chagrined. "I just wanted to do something special for you, Babs …"

"Dick, come here, honey," she insisted, still barely containing her mirth.

He kneeled before her and her hands went to either side of his face.

"Dick, you sweet, wonderful, charming man … I can't believe you threw that much pasta on the ceiling …" A few giggles escaped her and his ears turned red. She pressed her lips to his, trying to kiss away his defeat. "Oh, honey, I love you for trying. But why don't we just order pizza?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Babs."

"It's okay. Now go turn off the stove and open a bottle of wine. I'll go make the call. We'll worry about the rest of this later."

With a final amused glance at the ceiling, she left the room, still smiling to herself.


	4. Books

**A/N**: Here's a little drabble I just thought up the other night. I think it turned out kinda cute.

I just really like the idea of Barbara being a total bookworm and Dick thinking it's adorable.

* * *

When Barbara moved in with him, she brought her books. All her books. One whole car load was just heavy boxes of books, neatly tucked away in an order only she herself would understand.

It made sense though. A librarian could not stand to be far from her own personal library. So Dick had good-naturedly put together a brand new bookshelf for the living room and it was soon completely filled with her books.

He had always known that she read a lot when they were kids but perhaps he just didn't realize how much and how often. Half-read tomes with variously improvised bookmarks were scattered throughout the one bedroom apartment they now shared. Texts were stacked precariously on end tables, next to half empty cups of tea or coffee. The whole landscape of his flat had changed.

Dick really liked watching her read.

It was like a completely different side of her and different facets would start appearing, depending on the type of book she was reading. He loved watching how the words would affect her, how her expression would change at a moment's notice. Barbara was the most transparent when she was reading.

At first he didn't want to disturb her, but he quickly realized that sitting in the room quietly while she read was probably stranger. He didn't really want to alert her to the fact that he liked to watch her, afraid she would try to hide her expressions. And then she had unearthly powers of focus when he finally turned on the TV to pretend to watch it. When really, he couldn't stop his eyes from flickering over to his favorite redhead, immersed.

Sometimes, she would be hunched over a large, complicated looking text. A faint crease would appear above her brow as she attempted to understand ridiculously complex ideas like ancient Chinese philosophy or particle physics or computer programming. A small, smug smirk would appear once she had mastered the topic. And not all of her academic reading was actually for school. She just literally found a topic that interested her and picked up a book on it. Once again, she reminded him just how freaking intelligent she was.

Or sometimes Barbara would curl up on the couch, either next to him or by herself with a cup of tea. She normally did that when she was reading an old favorite, like Harry Potter or Jane Eyre. Her eyes would fondly regard the work of fiction in her hand like an old friend, and her smile would try to contain her laughter.

"Haven't you already read that like a million times?"

"Yes."

"So you already know how it ends."

"With some books, it's not about the actual story but more about the memories behind it. Like, the first time I read this was also my first year at Gotham Academy," she explained, holding up the book. "It's more a nostalgia feeling. That's the real magic, I think."

At the breakfast table, Barbara would read the newspaper. He figured that was just a habit she had picked up from her father. She would go through every headline, smiling when there was a story about how they had saved the day the night before. And then her eyes would grow sad and distant as she read about tragedies they had not been able to avert.

He knew the look well, the faint guilt plaguing the back of your mind as you tried to think of ways you could do better. But they couldn't save everyone and Barbara knew that as much as he did.

Still, he would gently remind her of all the good they did.

"Stop blaming yourself for the fall of Rome, Babs…"

If anything, she was incredibly well informed and it always amused him when they went to parties and people expected her to be a bit of an airhead since she was on his arm. And then she would shut them done with her acerbic wit before they even realized they were getting served.

The best time to watch Barbara read though was when she would read in bed before they went to sleep.

At first he would wonder about the interesting expressions that played across her face as she read those paperback novels with the cheesy cover art. And then he picked one up from the stack next to her side of the bed, flipped through a few random pages, and suddenly understood a lot more.

_Oh…_

Dick could now tell when she had reached a really raunchy scene in her book because the corners of her mouth would turn up slightly, her cheeks would flush pink, and she would bite her lip. Sometimes her eyes would widen slightly and she would shift a little in bed.

It must have been a good one tonight.

He suspected she was actually borrowing (or maybe even lending out) the erotic romance novels as they seemed to cycle through fairly quickly. It made him wonder who else in their group was reading them.

And it didn't really bother him at all because he was definitely reaping the benefits when that night's chapters featured a love scene.

With a sigh, Barbara would finally close the book for the night and set it aside. She looks over at him, where he was pretending to try to sleep even though the light was still on.

"You asleep?" she asks.

"Nope."

He opens his eyes just in time to catch the smirk on her face as she climbs onto him.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Good reading tonight?" he asks cheekily.

"Shut up, Hunk Wonder," she would reply, silencing him with her lips.


End file.
